How to strut your stuff for charity

Andrew Nowell

Dancers and their parents are so Money Supermarket they are donning the hi-vis and heels worn in the firm’s TV advert for a charity fund-raiser.

The Amelia Quigley Dance Company is recreating the well-known scene created by the price comparison website to raise money for Dancers Against Cancer.

The builders make some shapes

Youngsters will dress up as builders wearing hard hats, hi-vis jackets and T-shirts with the charity on them, facing groups in jackets, shorts and high heels.

The Highfield-based group decided to fund-raise after seeing Dancers Against Cancer charity events on the other side of the pond in US TV programme Dance Moms and immediately liked the idea of supporting an organisation which specifically helps fellow dancers.

School founder Amelia, 20, said: “The programme is about young girls coming into the dance industry in America and we all watch it. They actually started sponsoring the US version of the charity and were raising funds for them.

“The students got interested quite quickly and asked me if we could do something for them, so I had a look where the money goes and found it quite inspiring. It helps dancers and dance teachers who have been affected by cancer and it directly supports the community. There’s not many charities who are that specific out there.

We’re going to get together for a massive dance-off and everyone is really excited and looking forward to it, especially as this is our first go at charity fund-raising.

Amelia Quigley

“The Money Supermarket advert is hilarious, so I mentioned it in passing to our adult dance classes and dance fitness sessions and they thought it was a really good idea. We’re going to get together for a massive dance-off and everyone is really excited and looking forward to it, especially as this is our first go at charity fund-raising.”

Amelia hopes the dancers’ drive to get sponsored will bring in a total of around £1,000 for the cause.

The charity event is on February 25 at the company’s Billinge Road base, with students teaching their parents and other fund-raisers the steps to the routines before the day ends with the dance-off.

Dancers of all ages will be taking part, with the youngest showing off their steps being just five years old.

Groups across the country will be raising money to help Dancers Against Cancer in February but Amelia says her school has had to push the charity event back until slightly later so as not to clash with students’ exams.

The event runs from noon until 3pm. For details or to donate, visit www.aqddanceandfitness.com